Guard for rail-frogs.



G. 'A. CALDWELL.

GUARD FOR RAIL PROGS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1911 1,6 3,799. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

16765767206 )7 Cali WeZzZ 55 portion of the space G in which the foot of CLARENCE A. permanent, or iaconsrune, onto.

GUARD FOR, RAIL-races.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.6, 1914.

Application fi1edJune28, 1911. Serial Nb. sears-4.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENGE'A.- CALD:

WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at J acobsburg, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have inventednew. and

useful Improvements'in vGruards for Rail- Frogs, of which the following is a specifica- I -tio p p This invention relates to guards for rail .frogs or like parts of a rail structure where intersecting rails form an intervening space in which the foot is liable to become caught when. one is walking over the tracks, the object of the invention being to provide a guard which can be readily applied. to .the line rail 1 at a point in .advance of the small portion ofthe rail frog so as to act as an obstruction to prevent accidental movement of the foot into the, V-space formed by the intersecting line rails.

Another object of the-invention is to provide a frog guard with means whereby it will be automatically retained in its operative position relative to the frog, the guard being pivotally mounted and the said means above described serving to yieldingly sup-' port the guard so as to permit of its depressed by the rolling sto'clg. a

Figure 1 is a plan view of a rail frog showing my improved guard in its applied position relative thereto.- Fig. 2 is 'a section on line 2-2 of Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a perspective v.view of the main transverse guard. Fig; 4 is a side elevation partly in section being of one of the rails of the frog to which the guard is' attached.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention a portion of a structure A is shown in Fig. 1 of the d'rawing,the said structure including a frog Bwhich may be of any suitable well known and approved construction, the point of-the frog" being disposed in the usual manner between the oppositely flared portion 0 of the wing rails D. The wing rails are connected to the line rails E .in the present instance by the fish plates F. In-

the intervening V-space (vi-between the line and wing rails E and D respectively, is located my improved gualfl' if-.which comprises a longitudinal member 2 located in relatively close proximity with one of the line rails E so as to be engaged by the wheels of the rolling stock and depressed thereby ina manner to be hereinafter described. The guard as located is positioned in that one passing over 'the' track is most liable to become caught,and"as illustrated, that portion of the member 2 nearest the small or retained in its adjusted position upon the rail and fish plate respectively. The bolt is provided with spaced washers 6 which are located at the sides of the member 2 and securely. positioned :with; respect thereto by the retaining nut 7 At the opposite end the member 2 of the guard is. provided with a horizontal stop 8 and a main transverse guard 9, the latter extending in an opposite direction to the stop 8 so as to efiectively span the space G, A spring 10 is operatively connected, at 11, to the member 2 of the guard so'as to hold the same normallyin an elevated position. In the elevated position of the'guarel, the-stop line rail E, as shown. From the construction described, it willbe readily: understood that the guard may be applied to various forms-of rail structures where it is desired to prevent the accidental catching of the foot in the intervening space between rails of the structure which aredisposed in intersecting planes with relation-to each other,

the guard being adapted to engage the foot to positively prevent the same from w ilrluginto that portion ofthe space in jg'w iich the foot is most liable-to become caught and possibly positively ield so as to prevent one from dislodging his foot before theapproach of a train. By providing the spring '11 the-guard 1 may be depressed by the train. The guard 9 is provided at one end with a threaded stud 12 which is removably fitted in a. correspondingly formed socket in the member 2. By constructing the member 2 as just described, guards 9 of difierent lengths maybe interchangeably associated with the member according to the space between the line rails of the track structure. The bolt 4:, serves. as a pivot for the guard member 2 and'holds said member in its normal position when the an lar end thereof is not depressed by the weight of a car thereon.

I claim:

1. A frog guard consisting of an arm hav- 'ingpivotal connection with one of the frog ra ls and disposed in spaced relation thereabutment member secured in to, an abutment member angular-1y secured to said arm and movable therewith, and a spring for holding the member m a normally elevated position.

2. A frog guard consisting of an arm haying pivotal connection with one of the frog rails and having an angular terminal, an 7 angular relation to said first member, a spring for holding said first member, normally elevated and a stop for engaging said angular end.

3. In a guard, the combination with spaced rails, an arm pivoted in close prox- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses,

CLARENCE A. CALDlVELL.

" 'lVitnesses J. V. GRAHAM,

LELIA CALDWELL,

Home: 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. C. 

